Billy Williams had a fantastic day at bat with eight hits in eight trips, but the Cubs lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Astros, 6-5, before coming back to win the second game, 9-5. Williams' hits included a homer in each contest. The Astros gained their victory with a four-run rally in the seventh inning. Johnny Edwards led off with a single and stopped at third on a double by Tommy Helms. Jimmy Stewart hit a sacrifice fly to score Edwards. Helms took third and also scored on a sacrifice fly by Roger Metzger. Norm Miller then singled and Jim Wynn followed with a homer for the winning blow. The Astros also had a homer by Lee May earlier in the game.

Rick Monday hit two homers and Williams and Joe Pepitone whacked one apiece for the Cubs in the nightcap. Pepitone's poke came with two men on base. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 6, Chicago Cubs 5 (Game 1)
Game Played on Tuesday, July      11, 1972 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  1    4  0  0  -   6 10  1
Cubs         1  0  1    0  0  1    0  1  1  -   5  9  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   0   1   1     0   0   .204      Kessinger ss          2   0   0   0     1   0   .264
Miller cf             5   1   1   0     0   1   .189      Beckert 2b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .272
Wynn rf               3   2   1   2     2   1   .279      Williams lf           3   1   3   3     0   0   .317
May 1b                5   1   2   1     0   3   .281      Santo 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .286
Watson lf             3   0   1   1     1   0   .307      Pepitone 1b           4   1   2   0     0   1   .219
Rader 3b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .240      Hickman rf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .287
Edwards c             4   1   2   0     0   0   .243      Monday cf             3   0   1   1     1   0   .267
Helms 2b              3   1   1   0     1   0   .251      Hundley c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .219
Forsch p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .133        Davis ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  Stewart ph          0   0   0   1     0   0   .221      Hooton p              2   1   1   0     0   1   .087
  Culver p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .167        Phoebus p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .083
  Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Cardenal ph         1   1   1   0     0   0   .277
                                                            Aker p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Fanzone ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .234

Totals               33   6  10   6     4   8             Totals               32   5   9   4     2   4

Time of Game: 2:34
Left on Base: Astros 7, Cubs 4
DP: Astros 3, Cubs 1
Errors: Forsch, Santo
Doubles: May (15), Helms (8), Hooton (1), Cardenal (12), Pepitone (3), Monday (10)
Home Runs: May (17), Wynn (14), Williams (17)
Stolen Bases: Miller (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Forsch (5), Kessinger (8)
Sacrifice Flies: Stewart (2), Metzger (4), Williams (2)
GIDP: Beckert (9), Hickman (6)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(5-3)           6     6   3   2   1   3   1  23   3.71
Culver                  1     1   1   1   1   0   0   5   2.85
Gladding SV(8)          2     2   1   1   0   1   0   8   2.66
Totals                  9     9   5   4   2   4   1  36

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hooton L(7-8)           6     6   4   4   2   5   1  26   2.71
Phoebus                 2     3   2   2   1   2   1  10   3.59
Aker                    1     1   0   0   1   1   0   4   0.75
Totals                  9    10   6   6   4   8   2  40

Wild Pitches: Phoebus (4)

Umpires: HP - Ken Burkhart, 1B - Paul Pryor, 2B - Bob Engel, 3B - John McSherry


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); Miller was
called out on strikes; Wynn flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Kessinger flied out to center; Beckert singled to
pitcher [Beckert to second (error by Forsch)]; Williams singled
to center [Beckert scored (unearned)]; Santo hit into a double
play (right to first) [Williams out at second]; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H,
1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 2ND: May homered; Watson grounded out (shortstop to
first); Rader singled to right; Edwards lined into a double play
(pitcher to first) [Rader out at first]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Cubs 1.

CUBS 2ND: Pepitone struck out; Hickman flied out to left; Monday
walked; Hundley flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms grounded out (second to first); Forsch struck
out; Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
1, Cubs 1.

CUBS 3RD: Hooton doubled to left; Kessinger reached on a
fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt [Hooton to third]; Beckert
grounded into a double play (second to first) [Hooton scored (no
RBI), Kessinger out at second]; Williams singled to right; Santo
was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cubs
2.

ASTROS 4TH: Miller reached on an error by Santo [Miller to
first]; Miller stole second; Wynn struck out; May struck out;
Watson walked; Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
1, Cubs 2.

CUBS 4TH: Pepitone singled to right; Hickman grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Pepitone out at
second]; Monday grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Edwards singled to left; Helms flied out to center;
Forsch out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Edwards to
second]; Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cubs 2.

CUBS 5TH: Hundley flied out to center; Hooton struck out;
Kessinger flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Cubs 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Miller flied out to left; Wynn walked; May doubled
to left [Wynn to third]; Watson grounded out (second to first)
[Wynn scored, May to third]; Rader grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 2.

CUBS 6TH: Beckert grounded out (shortstop to first); Williams
homered; Santo popped to second; Pepitone grounded out
(shortstop to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Edwards singled to left; Helms doubled to right
[Edwards to third]; STEWART BATTED FOR FORSCH; PHOEBUS REPLACED
HOOTON (PITCHING); Stewart hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Edwards scored, Helms to third]; Metzger hit a sacrifice fly to
left [Helms scored]; Miller singled to center; Wynn homered
[Miller scored]; May struck out; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
6, Cubs 3.

CUBS 7TH: CULVER REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); Hickman grounded
out (third to first); Monday flied out to center; Hundley flied
out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 6, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Watson singled to left; Phoebus threw a wild pitch
[Watson to second]; Rader struck out; Edwards flied out to
center; Helms was walked intentionally; Culver grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 6, Cubs 3.

CUBS 8TH: CARDENAL BATTED FOR PHOEBUS; Cardenal doubled to
right; Kessinger walked; GLADDING REPLACED CULVER (PITCHING);
Beckert forced Kessinger (second to shortstop) [Cardenal to
third]; Williams hit a sacrifice fly to center [Cardenal
scored]; Santo forced Beckert (second to shortstop); 1 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Cubs 4.

ASTROS 9TH: AKER REPLACED CARDENAL (PITCHING); Metzger singled
to center [Metzger out at second (center to shortstop)];
Roger Metzger overslid 2B; Miller flied out to left; Wynn
walked; May struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Cubs 4.

CUBS 9TH: Pepitone doubled to center; Hickman lined to center;
Monday doubled to center [Pepitone scored]; DAVIS BATTED FOR
HUNDLEY; Davis grounded out (shortstop to first) [Monday to
third]; FANZONE BATTED FOR AKER; Fanzone was called out on
strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Cubs 5.